OEM Used Programs

The manufacturers listed below offer previously used printers or have a program in place that can enable interested buyers/sellers to connect. Quotes are from manufacturers’ representatives. Contact the OEM directly for more information.

EFI
efi.com
Previously owned program: Yes. “We have a tiered program. We list various levels of used, pre-owned, and demo units on efi.com that have been refurbished and tested prior to resale by EFI. These units are resold directly through EFI and our distributors. We also work closely with distributors and resellers worldwide who purchase and resell used Vutek printers. Global Garage is a good example of this.”

Where sourced: “Printers that are sold through EFI can be demo units or printers that have been returned as part of our trade program. We also work with resellers and directly with customers who are trading in printers but shipping directly from their site to the printer’s new owner.”

Printers inspected: Yes. “All Vutek printers sold by or from Vutek are inspected. Printers coming from our facility will be reconditioned prior to resale. Printers from third-party locations, that have been facilitated by Vutek, will be inspected in the field.”

Warranties offered: Yes. “Many come with a warranty. This depends on the tier. For example, demo, used, and recertified printers that are sold from the Vutek facility will often come with a warranty and, in most cases, will be eligible for coverage under our Extended Service Program (ESP). Printers that are currently covered by Vutek ESP at a customer’s location will also be eligible for coverage by an extended warranty at the new location once the printer has been installed and inspected by a Vutek field engineer.”

Maintenance/service contracts: Yes. “In most cases. Customers can add ESP coverage after the printer has been installed and inspected by a Vutek field engineer.

Offer upgrades: Yes. “In some cases we do.”

Training: Yes.

Manuals offered: Yes. “If they are sold by EFI and come from our Meredith facility.”

Shipping/Installation: Crating and installation are included. “Typically the buyer will pay for shipping from the Vutek facility. Transactions from current to new owner are up to the parties involved.”

Additional charges: Yes. “There can be additional charges for onsite inspections and setup if the printer is purchased from a third party.”

Tips: “The best tip is to look for printers that have been maintained and are under a current manufacturers warranty or extended service program. Vutek printers retain a high resale value not only because of the quality of build, but also because of the extended service and commitment that comes with it. People have to remember that these are high-production machines and will typically have a lot of print time already logged. That’s not a negative thing, but you want to make sure you’re purchasing a unit that has been maintained. So when purchasing a printer, it may cost slightly more to purchase one under a warranty or service plan, but it will be well worth it in most cases.”

Epson
epson.com
Previously owned program: Yes. The program is managed internally.

Where sourced: Returns and/or exchanges with customers.

Printers inspected: Yes. “All refurbished units from Epson are inspected.”

Warranties offered: Yes. “Warranties are offered for refurbished printers. If it is an end-user to end-user transfer, then the warranty is not transferable. We call them extended contracts, and it depends on the model. For the Epson Stylus Pro 4800, 4880, and GS6000, extended contracts are the same as in box, just an extension. For all other models under extended contracts, we cover break fix, but maintenance service is not covered. For phone support under the extended support, they get the same level of support, toll free, and we do next business day on-site, same as in box coverage.”

Maintenance/service contracts: No. “Epson does not offer special maintenance contracts, but we have setup lower cost maintenance repair fees with our national service vendor. It is flat fee, not hourly. For used printers (end-user to end-user transfer) after the maintenance service is done and our onsite vendor verifies that the printer is in a good working condition, we do allow customers to purchase one-year extended contracts if the printer is less than 2.5 years old from the time of shipment from Epson’s warehouse.”

Offer upgrades: No.

Training: n/a

Manuals offered: Yes.

Shipping/Installation: “Authorized dealers or service centers typically handle any ‘buy backs.’”

Additional charges: “In general, there is no difference in terms of the items they receive when purchasing refurbished Epson products versus that of the same model when new.”

Tips: “The best overall value still comes from purchasing a new Epson Stylus Pro product, especially because of all the benefits that typically come with having the newest breakthrough technologies and easy-to-use features.”

Fujifilm Sericol
fujifilmsericol.com
Previously owned program: Yes, program is managed by internal personnel.

Where sourced: Trade-ins from the sale of new printers.

Printers inspected: Yes.

Warranties offered: Yes.

Maintenance/service contracts: Yes.

Offer upgrades: Yes. “The press is typically refurbished prior to placement with the new customer.”

Training: Yes.

Manuals offered: Yes.

Shipping/Installation: “We will coordinate the transportation.”

Additional charges: Yes. “A package is tailored to the needs of the new customer. We sell a complete package to ensure that the customer has everything they need to be successful with their press.”

Tips: “By refurbishing the press and offering a manufacturer’s warranty with the press, we are able to take away the fear and uncertainty of purchasing a used piece of equipment.

Hewlett-Packard
hp.com
Previously owned program: Yes. This program is managed by HP.

Where sourced: Trade-ins from owners purchasing new equipment.

Printers inspected: Yes. “The printers are all carefully inspected prior to any trade-in offer and, when sold, are installed by qualified HP service personnel to ensure the highest levels of quality and productivity for the customer.”

Warranties offered: Yes. “HP does offer warranties on used equipment, however, they are generally shorter than for a new printer and it is a new warranty, not an extension of existing warranties.”

Maintenance/service contracts: Yes. “HP offers the same maintenance options for used printers that we do on new printers.”
 

Offer upgrades: Yes. “HP does upgrade the printers with needed items, such as new printheads or installing the latest firmware changes, but the unit is not necessarily upgraded to ‘new’ in terms of its outward appearance.”

Training: Yes.

Manuals offered: Yes.

Shipping/Installation: “All previously operated equipment is shipped by HP, just as for a new unit, unless other arrangements are made with the customer.”

Additional charges: Yes. “HP charges for delivery, installation, and training whether a printer is used or new.”

Tips: “Whether buying new or used, it’s always best to see your own files printed. Look at the quality and how long it takes to print them before selecting a printer. Printer performance can vary greatly for used units. Customers should always understand how long it takes to print their own files at the quality they deem sellable for their customer base. Never assume that the previous owner’s opinion or experience with print times and print modes is transferable to a new owner’s business model.”

Inca Digital Printers
incadigital.com
Previously owned program: Yes. “Existing customers of Inca and our distributor, Fujifilm Sericol, often upgrade to a new Inca machine. The second-hand Inca machine may be sold to a new or existing customer through our normal sales channels.” The program is managed in the US by Fujifilm Sericol.

Where sourced: “They usually come from existing customers who are upgrading to a higher specification Inca printer (or printers), because their business has developed and they now need more capacity.”

Printers inspected: Yes. “When previously owned Inca machines are sold through Inca or our distributors, they are audited and evaluated by Inca engineers. Printheads and parts are assessed and, where necessary, replaced or refurbished.”

Warranties offered: Yes. “It does depend on the age of the printer, but normally a parts warranty is offered for six months.”

Maintenance/service contracts: Yes. “Customers buying used Inca printers are able to purchase the same support contracts as new customers. There are different levels of support which offer varying options on parts, labor, and response times, for example.”

Offer upgrades: No. “In general, an upgrade is not available on used equipment.”

Training: Yes. “Training is available either on the customer’s site or at an Inca-approved training center. This varies from operator training to more detailed training that enables the customer to carry out more involved maintenance. RIP and color-management training is also available through our distributor.”

Manuals offered: Yes. “While hard copies of our manuals are usually available for our most recent machines, an electronic version is always available.”

Shipping/Installation: Yes. “If sold through Inca Digital/Fujifilm Sericol, these are coordinated by Fujifilm Sericol.”

Additional charges: “As with any machine sold, the price will consist of the base machine, delivery, installation, training, and support. The purchaser of a used press can always decide what they would like to be included, or not. From that point of view, this is no different from purchasing a new machine.”

Tips: “Consideration should be given to the condition of the printer and whether regular servicing has been conducted—in particular, how well it has been maintained and cared for by the current owner. Any company wanting to dip its toe into the flatbed market could find some real benefits by picking up a second-hand Inca press at a lower price than a new machine, and building a business before taking a bigger step and buying a new machine. Of course, all reasonable evaluations should be taken to ensure that the machine fits the needs and expectations of the business. Machines offered privately through the Internet are not covered by any of the terms/topics covered above. We suggest ‘caveat emptor,’ although we will look at the machine and offer paid servicing.”

Océ
oceusa.com
Previously owned program: “There is no formal program at this time, but we do sell pre-owned/used equipment.”

Where sourced: “They are typically our own demo or tradeshow units or, in rare instances, they come back from customers.”

Printers inspected: Yes. “We have a remanufacturing group that goes over all aspects of the printer ensuring proper performance.”

Warranties offered: Yes. “From a minimum of 30 days and upwards. We typically offer a six-month warranty on remanufactured Océ Arizona 250 GT printers. Our warranties provide full on-site service from an authorized Océ technician and cover standard parts, labor, and travel expenses. The warranty on remanufactured printers is no different than the original standard warranty other than the duration. By implementing a remanufacturing process, we are able to validate the integrity of the unit and thus support the warranty.”

Maintenance/service contracts: Yes. “Absolutely.”

Offer upgrades: Yes. “During the remanufacturing process, we will perform all mandatory upgrades and safety modifications required. Accessories and optional upgrades are at the discretion of the customer and are performed on-site.”

Training: Yes. “Basic ‘quick start’ training is included with the installation and is provided by the service technician. This covers operator maintenance and rudimentary printing of a file. Additional on-site application, software, and custom training is also available at an extra charge and is provided by our industry-experienced business
Consultants. The price includes all travel-related expenses.”

Manuals offered: Yes. “Manuals can be freely downloaded at anytime from oce-dgs.com.”

Shipping/Installation: Yes. Charged separately from printer price. “Océ coordinates the shipping and provides forklifts and labor as part of the delivery charge.

Other: Delivery and any additional rigging equipment, Onyx RIP software (if required) as well as Starter Kits.

Additional charges: No.

Tips: “Choose carefully who you buy from. Buying from a small company or used-equipment dealer has greater inherent risk than buying from the manufacturer. Printers will eventually break down and require service. Be sure to get answers to the following: Is there a reliable service history or service provider that can attest to the condition of the printer? Will they continue to service and support the unit at an acceptable cost and timeframe after you purchase it?”

Seiko I Infotech
seiko-i.com
Previously owned program: No formal program. Offers discounted printers used at industry tradeshows, but does not offer any other used printers on a consistent basis. The discounted-printer program is managed internally and through its dealer network.

Where sourced: Printers that have been used at tradeshows, typically for three to four days.

Printers inspected: Yes. “All printers are inspected and tested by company personnel before shipping to customer sites.”

Warranties offered: Yes. “Standard warranties are offered on these ‘gently used’ printers.”

Maintenance/service contracts: Yes. “We currently offer second- and third-year service contracts for all printers.”

Offer upgrades: Yes. “Printer options such as mesh printing can be added to the printer at any time.”

Training: Yes. “It is included with the purchase
as well as basic color profiles for common
substrates.”

Manuals offered: Yes. “We make sure a full set of manuals accompanies the printers.”

Shipping/Installation: Dealer is responsible for coordinating shipping; installation depends on dealer and pricing.

Additional charges: n/a

Tips: “Buying used solvent printers should be done only by experienced operators, as original manufacturer warranties are usually expired. Consequently, expensive repairs may be needed more often with no safety net to buffer the unexpected costs. We have also seen many older printers sold to unsuspecting customers, who quickly learn that the printer was not properly maintained or was used for experimentation with non-recommended inks. In these circumstances, the printer often requires complete replacement of the ink system and inkjet heads, which destroys any cost savings. In summary, buying an older printer is much like buying an older car: If the history and maintenance of the printer is unknown, or if the character of the seller is questionable, it would be best to steer clear. And the old adage, ‘if it is too good to be true, then it probably is’ applies to used inkjet printers. Buying used printers for your business can be a prudent approach if certain requirements are met, but for most, buying a new printer makes the most business sense in the long run.”